August Boat Trips: Exploring the Ionian Islands from Corfu
Corfu sits at the northern edge of the Ionian Sea, and from its coastline the horizon is dotted with islands that most visitors never realise are within such easy reach. Paxos lies barely ten nautical miles to the south. Beyond it sits tiny Antipaxos, whose beaches are regularly compared to the Caribbean. To the northwest, the little-known Diapontia group marks the westernmost point of Greece. In August, with the sea at its calmest and the days at their longest, exploring these neighbouring islands by boat becomes one of the most rewarding ways to spend a day away from the sunbed.
Paxos and Antipaxos: The Classic Day Out
No boat trip from Corfu is more popular than the run down to Paxos and Antipaxos, and the reputation is well earned. The typical route sails south past Corfu Town, Mouse Island and the palace of Mon Repos before angling toward the west coast of Paxos, where the boat slips into the island’s famous Blue Caves. Sunlight filtering through the water inside these grottoes creates a shifting, luminous blue that photographs never quite do justice to, and keen eyes sometimes spot a monk seal resting in the shadows.
From the caves, most itineraries continue to Antipaxos, where the water at Voutoumi and Mesovrika beaches genuinely does resemble a tropical lagoon rather than anything typically associated with Greece. A swim here is the highlight of the day for most visitors. The afternoon usually finishes in Paxos itself, either at the harbour village of Gaios or the quieter bay of Lakka, both offering narrow lanes, tavernas and small shops in which to while away an hour or two before the return crossing. Group cruises run daily throughout August and typically last between seven and twelve hours depending on the operator, with food and drink available on board and a lively, sociable atmosphere on the journey home. For those who prefer their own pace, a private charter allows the same route to be sailed with total flexibility, stopping at a quiet cove for lunch or lingering longer wherever the water looks most inviting.
The Diapontia Islands: Corfu’s Remote Northwest
Fewer visitors venture northwest to the Diapontia Islands, three small dots of land known as Othonoi, Erikoussa and Mathraki that mark the westernmost edge of Greek territory, closer in fact to Italy than to Athens. Othonoi, the largest of the three, is sometimes identified locally as the mythical island of Calypso from Homer’s Odyssey, and its dramatic cliffs and isolated coves have a genuinely different feel to the more visited southern islands. Erikoussa is the gentlest of the trio, with a sweep of sandy beach and a small village, while Mathraki remains the quietest and least developed. Because they sit more exposed to weather coming from the northwest, these islands are best saved for a day when conditions are calm and settled, something a private skipper will always factor into the day’s planning.
Combining Islands in a Single Day
For visitors with a private boat at their disposal rather than a fixed group itinerary, August’s long daylight hours and generally settled seas make it possible to combine more than one destination. A popular full day pairs the northwest coast of Corfu with a stop at one of the Diapontia Islands, while the busier southern route often blends Antipaxos and Paxos together, arriving at Antipaxos early to enjoy the beaches before the group cruises fill the anchorage. Those with more time can extend the idea into a two or three day charter, overnighting in Gaios or Lakka before continuing north to the Diapontia group, turning what would otherwise be a single day trip into a proper small scale island hopping adventure.
Practical Notes for an August Sailing Day
Whichever route is chosen, a few things make the day considerably more comfortable. Sun protection matters more on the water than almost anywhere else on a Corfu holiday, since the reflection off the sea intensifies the exposure, so a hat, reef-safe sunscreen and a cover-up for the crossings are all worth packing. Cash is useful for lunch, drinks or souvenirs picked up in Gaios or Lakka, since card payment is not always available in the smaller shops and tavernas. Group cruises tend to book up during peak August weeks, so reserving a place several days in advance is a sensible precaution rather than an overcautious one, while private charters generally offer more flexibility for last minute planning, at a correspondingly higher cost.
Returning to the Apartment After a Day at Sea
There is a particular kind of tiredness that comes from a full day on the water, salt-dried skin, wind-blown hair, and the pleasant heaviness of a day spent swimming and sunbathing rather than sightseeing on foot. Guests staying at Kapella Apartments tend to find it the perfect place to land after an island hopping day, with a shower, a cool drink and the villa’s own pool waiting to ease the transition from Ionian Sea back to solid ground, before the evening settles into its usual unhurried Corfu rhythm.
